The Colonial Newsletter, no. 76

Volume 27, No. 2

July, 1987

Serial No. 76

TOMBSTONE at the CRAVE of SYLVESTER S. CROSBY
Lexington, Massachusetts

"You can imagine my surprise when the ladies in Charlestown, New
Hampshire told me that Sylvester Sage Crosby was interred there. Up
until that point I knew that he was buried in Lexington,
Massachusetts, I even had a photograph of his tombstone. You might say
that I was confused for awhile, and then a bit shocked to realize that
there had been TWO sons bearing the name Sylvester Sage Crosby."

Sequential page 982

Copyright © The Colonial Newsletter Foundation, Inc, 1987

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 983

***

BETWEEN THE PAGES ***

The Search for Crosby the Man (BP-3)

as related to Ye Editor by Robert Wester; Suncook, New Hampshire

INTRODUCTION

We are all familiar with "Crosby". Crosby the Book, that is. Also
known as "The Early Coins of America; and the Laws Governing their
Issue. Comprising also Descriptions of The Washington Pieces, The
Anglo-American Tokens, Many Pieces of Unknown Origin, of the
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, and the First Patterns of the
United States Mint" by Sylvester S. Crosby. This comprehensive
numismatic text remains today, as it was when first published by the
author in Boston in the year 1875, a cornerstone of Early American
Numismatics.

We are not nearly so familiar, however, with Crosby the Man. One
outstanding characteristic of S.S. Crosby that quickly evolves from the
introduction to Crosby the Book is his persistence. "I intend no
exaggeration in stating that I have long anticipated the day that
should witness the completion of my labors, as the day that would
bring me relief from the greatest care with which I have been
burdened; a care I would never have accepted had I entertained the
most remote idea that the whole labor and responsibility would devolve
upon me, as has proved to be the case. And although my labors in this
undertaking have brought me many pleasant correspondents,
acquaintances and friends, yet the frequent, long, and often vexatious
delays, and the absence of expected assistance, have rendered them, at
times, extremely arduous." Crosby, indeed, was born of good stock.

Sylvester Sage Crosby was born in Charlestown, New Hampshire on
September 2, 1831. His father Reverend Dr. Jaazaniah Crosby was an
1804 graduate of Harvard College and 54 year Pastor of the South
Parish Unitarian Church in Charleston. His mother Holdah Robinson Sage
was the daughter of Reverend Sylvester Sage who was born in Berlin
Connecticut, Yale educated and Pastor of the Congregational Church in
Westminster Vermont for 41 years.

My personal interest in Crosby the Man first started in July 1978 when
I purchased a book from Roberta Carr's antiquarian bookshop in
Concord, New Hampshire. I had received a telephone call one morning
from Roberta Carr -- she said "Bob, I have a book The Early Coins of
America by Sylvester S. Crosby, do you know any thing about it?" I
told her "yes — any American numismatist knows of Crosby" then she
continued " I also have an auction catalog of some sort — Hazeltine
— 70th Sale — The Crosby Collection".

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 984

I went right down to the bookshop to examine the copy of Crosby. It
was a handsome black leather bound, gold embossed 1875 copy of
Sylvester S. Crosby's "The Early Coins of America, & etc." Stamped
inside the front cover was the name J. Allen Crosby. Reproduced below
is a copy of that stamped impression:

$ ALIEN CROSBY

Interesting that a book evidently owned by a Crosby was written by a
Crosby! Bob, I thought, they are trying to tell you something! I
wonder what the connection might be? I purchased the "Crosby" from
Roberta Carr for $75.00 and took it home with me. I later found the
stamp J. Allen Crosby in two additional locations inside the volume.

I also purchased the Hazeltine 70th Sale Auction Catalog of the Crosby
Collection. I determined later that it was handpriced by Sylvester
Sage Crosby! As I thumbed through the pages in Roberta Carr's
bookshop a quotation by Captain Hazeltine caught my eye:

"Be careful of the unique pieces ye collector,
for you will be held to strict accountability
by the numismatists of the world should you
carelessly suffer them to be lost."

Little could I have guessed that some eight years later I would
personally uncover two of S. S. Crosby's prized possessions that had
been withheld from this sale of his numismatic collection.

THE SEARCH BEGINS

In Crosby the Book on page 380 there appear the names of two other
Crosbys in the list of subscribers — Samuel Trevett Crosby of Boston
and William Crosby of Boston, (I would learn later that these were
brothers of S. S. Crosby) but the name J. Allen Crosby does not appear
so evidently he was not one of the subscribers. I then set out to
determine the identity of J. Allen Crosby. There was no way that I
could have known where this curiosity would lead me!

I inquired of Roberta Carr as to the source of the copy of Crosby the
Book and the sale catalog which I had purchased. She advised me that
they had come to her from a Mrs. Edward W. McGlenen, a long time
resident of Concord. (Sylvester S. Crosby, I would learn later, was
Mrs. McGlenen's husband's great-uncle), I contacted Mrs. McGlenen who
graciously answered my questions regarding the copy of Crosby; she
was an absolute gold mine of information. She told me that J. Allen
Crosby was James Allen Crosby, a nephew of Sylvester Sage Crosby, and

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 985

that it was he who had written the Crosby obituary which appeared on
page 442 in the September 1914 issue of The Numismatist. That obituary
notice is reproduced below:

Obituary.

SYLVESTER S. CROSBY

Sylvester S. Crosby, one of the best known American authorities on numis-
matics, died Tuesday evening, Aug: 18, at his home, 21 Sacramento street,
Cambridge, Mass., of a stomach trouble. Mr. Crosby was born in Charlestown,
N. H,. September 2, 1831, and had lived in Cambridge forty-two years, all of
that time in the same house. Mr. Crosby was a watchmaker by trade and at
the time of his retirement from business activities fifteen years ago was located
at 43 West street, Boston.

Mr. Crosby was a man of versatile interests, and outside of the watch-
making business he had speciaiized In severai other directions, notably numis-
matics, archaeology, astronomy, and the culture of mushrooms. In the first
named subject he was considered an excepttonai authority. He was the author
of two illustrated works on the subject of American coins, nameiy: “The Early
Coins of America,” and “The United States Coinage of 1703 — Cent and Half
Cents.”

Mr. Crosby was an honorary member of the American Numismatic Associa-
tion, The American Numismatic Society, and the Boston Numismatic Society.
He was a member of the First Parish church and of the New England Archaeo-
logical society. He ‘was the last of eieven children of Rev. Avazaniah Crosby,
for over fifty years pastor of the Charlestown Congregatlonai church. He was
married twice, but had no children. His only surviving reiatives are a nephew,
Aiian Crosby of Jamaica Piain, and a niece, Miss Crosby. The funerai was held
from the house yesterday afternoon at one o’ciock. Rev. James De Normandie
of Roxbury officiated. The buriai was in Lexington.

Mrs. McGlenen also told me that James Allen Crosby had been a printer
in Boston and that she had one of his books, which she later gave to
me. It was a copy of PIERPONT GENEALOGY. The frontispiece is
reproduced on the next page. Note in particular the statement at the
bottom of the page "Printed by his greatgrandson James Allen Crosby."

As I thumbed through the pages I suddenly realized that James Allen
Crosby, Sylvester Sage Crosby's nephew, was also the great grandson of
the Reverend John Pierpont, one of the founders of Yale College! As I
continued scanning through the book I discovered several other
familiar names! Names that would become even more familiar as I
traced back through the linage of the Crosby and Pierpont families.

James Allen Crosby, Jaazaniah Crosby, Huldah Robinson Sage, Henry
Allen McGlenen. McGlenen!

McGlenen! I was talking with Irene McGlenen! The same family? Yes.

The relationships quickly coalesced into meaningful context.

Sylvester Sage Crosby had a brother named James, and it was James'
children, son James Allen Crosby and daughter Mary Crosby McGlenen who
had together settled the estate of Sylvester Sage Crosby. At his
death on August 18, 1914 Crosby the Man's personal copy of Crosby the
Book became the property of James Allen Crosby who stamped it with his
own namestamp "J. ALLEN CROSBY". At James' death the book and other
effects of Sylvester Sage Crosby moved into the McGlenen family where

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 986

PIERPONT GENEALOGY

AND CONNECTING LINES,

PARTICULARLY

REV. JOHN PIERPONT

OF HOI.I.IS STREET CHURCH
BOMON, MASSAC HI SFTTS.

COMPILED FROM AUTHENTIC MJL'KcE^

BY HIS GRANDDAUGHTER

MARY FMERPONT BAKNUM.

EDITED BY HIS GRANDSON

ARTHUR EDWIN BOARDMAN.

PRINTED BY HIS t.RIA TGR A NDSON
JAMES ALLEN CROSBY,
BOSTON, I92H

FRONTISPIECE from "Plerpont Genealogy"

Printed by James Allen Crosby

many of them had remained intact until the present time.

Unfortunately, a considerable number of items from S. S. Crosby's
estate including some large items, personal papers and correspondence
had been disposed of in 1955 when Mrs. McGlenen moved to Concord from
Ware, Massachusetts.

My curiosity about the rubber stamped name J. ALLEN CROSBY between the
pages of a copy of Crosby the Book had led to the discovery of the
residue of the estate of Crosby the Man and the realization that I was
the owner of Sylvester Sage Crosby's personal copy of "Early Coins of
America"! Wow! For years I have been interested in old books,
especially books relating to numismatics, and have collected them with
great enthusiasm. Suddenly I had exceeded all of my expectations and
the excitement was intense but just as suddenly my excitement
turned into an insatiable interest and a totally overwhelming desire
to learn more of Crosby the Man. It was not long before my wife
discovered that she was living with two men. Bob Wester and Sylvester
Crosby, and over the next several years she would often ask me " Bob,
when are you going to be finished with Crosby?" Sylvester Sage Crosby
had become an obsession with me!

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 987

My discussions continued from time to time with Mrs. McClenen as she
located various items from the S. S. Crosby estate. As I have
mentioned, many items were discarded when Mrs. McClenen moved to
Concord New Hampshire, but a few had been saved. At one time all of
the Crosby effects had been stored in the McClenen attic in Weare but
cracks had started developing in the plaster and it was necessary to
move the materials from the attic to avoid damage to the structure.

During my first visit with Mrs. McClenen, after she had learned of my
interest in Crosby and in books in general, she produced from her
basement another copy of Crosby the Book, which I later purchased from
her. At first I believed it to be a set of subscribers copies, the
individual sections delivered to subscribers as they were issued. The
pages, however, in these copies were uncut and each one was inserted
in a cover, or wrapper, for the first issue -- Part 1 -- on which the
correct part number had been entered by hand in Crosby's handwriting.
These copies were, evidently, folio copies very likely used by him for
checking prior to formal issue. Inside of Part 1 was inserted a
clipping — "The Nation" — describing "The Early Coins of America".

S TM Early issue, coffi^

prising also Descrip tionS^fh^W&shm the* Aiglo-AmericaftS

Tokens, mahy pieces of.'unimown.origm or tHCieventeejLlh and eighteenth!
centuries, and the first Patterns o£ the. United ^ States: Mint Profufie|n
illustrated. By SylVester S ; ^rosby. v (Boston : Published by the authoril
1875, 4toi>pp. 381.)— ‘ With thr ^publication of* PartsTll^and 12 fcjj
Crosby has completed his elaborate and thorough work on e^y. American-
coin?. Thet ..book gives proof of; long and careful resear^^J^wearie^l
'pains, and 0^ great ^a<xnr^ivF<}r-fche collector it must bo andn dispensabl^
j manhalT while ta the general "stndenroF^ijn encan Tustory'it afforda"nian$
curious illustrations of the economical; conditions of the colonies, as shownfe
in prevalent theories of currenoft&in varying standards of value, and nil
numerous practices of trade. The general absence of artistic beauty iS|
American productions is exhibited in the common ugliness of the coinsJ
Ko one of them will be prized two thousand years hence for beauty such
makes the coins of Greece and her colonies still precious to the lovers ol^
ait. No woman will ever wear one set like a gem for her adornment. Th$J
plates in Mr. Crosby’s book are suggestive, not so much of the superiority^
of modern culture as of its inferiority to that of the ancient; world. Thei
lack of beauty in common things is an absolute loss. Mr. Crosb/s volute |
is very handsomely printed and amply illustrated. Its author seems
have relied mainly upon its merits ta make it known, and we are glad: td|

, have the opportunity to bring it to' the knowledge of our readers,; and^|
commend it to all who desire information on the subjects which it treata^;^

Clipping from "The Nation" discovered inside
Part 1 of Crosby^ folio copies of his "Early Coins of America"

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 988

Mrs. McGlenen promised that there was more Crosby material available,
but to locate it would require waiting for spring cleaning time, and
that "we would do some spring cleaning together!" Spring seemed to
require forever to arrive that year! But, as with every year, spring
finally did arrive and it was an exciting and memorable day at Mrs.
McClenen's.

THE REMAINDER OF THE ESTATE OF S.S. CROSBY

Right before my eyes were the remaining effects of Sylvester Sage
Crosby. One of the first things I picked out of a box was a framed
photograph of the home of the Reverend Jaazaniah Crosby of
Charlestown. On the back of the frame was the handwritten notation
"house where my father James Crosby was born". James Crosby was a
brother of Sylvester S. Crosby. And another photograph -- a family
group photograph of Crosby family members gathered in front of a
residence, the same house as in the first photograph! I had found "The
Crosby's of Charlestown!"

Crosby Family Photograph of 1860

I call this family photograph the "Ordination Photograph" because it
was taken in 1860 during the 50th anniversary celebration of the
ordination of Dr. Crosby at a festival which was held at his home at
which his family and friends, from near and far, participated. This
photograph was made during those activities.

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 989

in this photograph Syivester S. Crosby, at age 29, Is standing In the
back row just to the right of his father Reverend Jaazaniah Crosby who
is seated in the front row flanked by grandchildren. Aii five Crosby
sons are pictured in this photograph, all standing in the back row.

The gentleman In the back row at the far right has not been
identified. The ladies who have been identified are, front row from
ieft, Ann Parker Palfrey a daughter from Rev. Crosby's first wife.
Reverend Crosby's third wife Elizabeth Alien. The grandchildren with
Rev. Crosby are the Bridges, daughters of Reverend William Bridge and
Elizabeth Crosby Bridge seated in the front row at the far right.

Others in this photograph have not yet been identified.

All of the remaining Items from the estate of S.S. Crosby were small
objects of obvious real or sentimental value. A pocket watch with tag
attached "S.S. Crosby, Sacramento St. Cambridge"; another pocket watch
given to him by his father, the Rev. Crosby, which Sylvester had later
presented to his nephew James Alien Crosby; a family autograph book
which had belonged to Mary Crosby McGlenen containing the autographs
of S.S. Crosby and his second wife "Hittie" (Mehitabel) on opposite
pages; a set of twelve sterling silver coffee spoons which had been
carefully labeled by Mary Crosby McGlenen as having belonged to the
S.S.Crosbys; various photographs and silhouettes; his father's walking
stick; and even a lock of hair taken by Surgeon Gilchrist (Crosby's
Brother-in-Law) from the body of abolitionist John Brown at Harper's
Ferry. Aii of these items had very fortunately been carefuiiy labeled
by James Allen Crosby and his sister Mary Crosby McGlenen at the time
they settled S.S. Crosby's estate.

Mrs. McGlenen recalled several other iarger items that had been the
property of S.S. Crosby but had been disposed of much earlier. One in
particular is intriguing to me and may someday be found — a mantel
clock, 18 inches high, personally constructed by S.S. Crosby, and
signed by him, that hopefully stiii exists today somewhere in New
Hampshire or the New England area. Another was Crosby's astronomical
teiescope — so large that two men were required to remove it from the
attic when it was donated to a nearby college.

By this time, as 1 have already mentioned, i was literaiiy obsessed by
a desire to iearn ail that I could about Syivester Sage Crosby, the
landmark writer of Early American Numismatics. The events and findings
outlined above were only the beginning and at the time 1 had not yet
put together in proper context many of the facts and relationships
that are expressed. These relationships would come later as new
material was discovered and aii the facts were correctly Identified
and interrelated.

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 990

After my first visit with Mrs. McClenen 1 visited the New Hampshire
State Library which netted for me a major find — a booklet "Sketch of
The Life of Dr. Crosby, of Charleston, N.H." by Rev. Livingston Stone
and published in Boston, 1866 by the Press of John Wilson and Sons. It
was in this booklet that I found Sylvester Sage Crosby's maternal
name. Great day! I must have read that booklet a half dozen times
during the next few weeks and literally found myself In the 1830's.

All of this new information was discovered during January or February
of 1979 and I must confess that I felt that I could not afford to miss
any minute detail from here on of the events that I believed to be of
great numismatic significance.

A TRIP TO LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS

The Sylvester Sage Crosby obituary which appeared In the September
1914 Issue of "The Numismatist" offered several additional clues. One
important clue was the fact that Crosby was buried in Lexington,
Massachusetts, and 1 was on my way to Lexington! I discovered that
you don't just walk into the cemetery and find a graveslte. There are
seven cemeteries In Lexington — I was directed to the Highway
Department for Information — and there, as I recall, on one wall was
a locator card file for all of the residents of the seven cemeteries.

We found S.S. Crosby listed in the Monroe Cemetery; his second wife
Mehitabel, is interred with him. A major clue appeared on the card
"stomach cancer" for which standard obituary language In those days
was stomach trouble. I have been unable, to this day, to find much
detailed information about Crosby's second wife, but the search
continues. His first wife Mary Elizabeth Capelle, I learned (May
1986), was one of eight children. She was born in Lexington,
Massachusetts on November 23, 1834; her brother William Curtis
Capelle, who was also a subscriber to Crosby's "Early Coins", was a
Brigadier General in the Army.

Name

INTERMENT

Page Hoy

Lot No. b
Single grave

Path

Age Vrs. Mo. Days

\\

Date of Burial

Re ceipt No.
Grave No.

'b-re

Interment No.

Place of deijh

Year No.

Cause of death

3h

Undertaker 0

MONROE CEMETERY INTERMENT CARD

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 991

I visited the Crosby gravesite In the Monroe Cemetery In Lexington,
said a private prayer for Crosby, and made photographs of the
gravestone for my research files. Just to the right was a smaller
marker identifying the grave of his first wife, Mary Elizabeth Capell.

I felt as though I had arrived at the conclusion of my research but I
well knew that it had only really begun. Little could I even begin to
imagine that later in my search I would locate the gravesite of
another brother with the name Sylvester Sage Crosby!

A TRIP TO CHARLESTOWN, NEW HAMPSHIRE

It was now early 1986, almost eight years since my discovery of
Crosby's personal copies of Early Coins of America, and the next trip
In my search for Crosby the Man was to Charlestown, New Hampshire, the
birthplace of Sylvester Sage Crosby. I was confident that I would be
able to locate a substantial amount of information in Charlestown
since Crosby was born there and his father had been a pastor there for
54 years, and was Harvard educated. I had with me the only known
photograph of the house in which he was born and I wanted to learn the
exact location at which it had stood prior to burning to the ground in
1864.

I telephoned the Town Clerk in Charlestown, Charlene Comstock, and she
was pleased to learn of my Investigation of "The Crosbys". She told me
that Reverend Jaazaniah Crosby had been one of Charlestown's most
prominent and beloved citizens and that this Image had remained with
the townspeople over the years. A friend of Charlene's knew of the
approximate location of the old Crosby homestead -- it is now a
portion of an estate In Charlestown. After spending several hours

examining the former homesite I returned to Charlene's office where
she introduced me to Florence Bingham, the town librarian. Florence
was both thoughtful and helpful — she provided me with the
handwritten records of Reverend Crosby and told me that Sylvester Sage
Crosby was buried in Charlestown and that according to the records he
was listed as being In the family plot!

You can imagine my surprise when these ladies In Charlestown, New
Hampshire told me that Sylvester Sage Crosby was Interred there. Up
until that point I KNEW that he was buried in Lexington,

Massachusetts, I even had a photograph of his tombstone. You might say
that I was confused for awhile, and then a bit shocked to realize that
there had been TWO sons bearing the name Sylvester Sage Crosby. I
learned later that It was not unusual, in those days, for a family to
reuse the name of a son or daughter who had died in infancy.

After lunch we went out to the cemetery to the Crosby family plot. We
located the markers for Reverend Dr. Crosby and Mrs. Crosby and their
infant daughter Sibil (May 3, 1817 - October 17, 1817), as well as
that of Naval Surgeon Edward Gilchrist and his wife Clarissa Crosby.

And sure enough, there were two other small markers, one for Sylvester
Sage Crosby (March 18, 1825 - April 7, 1826) and the last and youngest
of all the Crosbys, John Parker Crosby (1832-1834) These two small

Later that day, before leaving Charlestown, Florence Bingham the
librarian showed me the Saunderson Town History (First Edition) which
stated that there were indeed two S. S. Crosbys and contained a
portrait of Reverend Jaazaniah Crosby. I had been familiar with the
second edition which had been considerably abbreviated but still
retained the portrait of Rev. Crosby. I had never thought to look for
a first edition of the History of Charlestown in order to obtain
different information. I live about an hours drive from Charlestown
and all during the drive home I thought about what an exciting project
my research into the life of S. S. Crosby had become. He was a
fascinating Irian, but his father was even moreso; I think I fell in
love with the character of the father. Dr. Jaazaniah Crosby!

The FINAL DISCOVERY from the ESTATE
of SYLVESTER SAGE CROSBY

During the eight years since my discovery of Crosby's personal copy of
The Early Coins of America in Roberta Carr's bookshop in Concord, New
Hampshire I had worked continually to learn more of Crosby the Man
and, while doing so, had prepared several displays and exhibits of
materials relating to Crosby which have been displayed at various

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 993

conventions, coin shows, and the like. In addition I had supplied Mr.

Eric P. Newman with my early findings, including the Crosby Family
Photograph, which he incorporated into his Biographical Forward for
the second Quarterman reprint (1983) of Crosby the Book. I suppose
that as a direct result of all of these activities I had acquired a
reputation of sorts as an expert on S. S. Crosby, at least in the New
Hampshire area.

By June of 1986 Mrs. McClenen had completed her "spring housecleaning"
chores and was moving into a retirement home. My general feeling was
that I had exhausted the final opportunity to uncover anymore of
Crosby's personal effects. Any remaining items that had been disposed
of prior to my initial discovery of Crosby's copy of his masterpiece
could probably not be attributed to Crosby. This, however, turned out
not to be the case. One of the most exciting discoveries was yet to
come!

On June 3rd, 1986 during an auction sale session my reputation as a
"Crosby expert" paid off in a totally unexpected manner. A gentleman
introduced himself and stated that he too had managed to acquire some
Crosby artifacts. He stated that sometime back he had purchased a
"shoebox full" of odds and ends and that it included several medals
bearing the name Crosby. I was extremely anxious to see them and told
him that this might well be the most important thing that would happen
to me this year. I also knew that I might be disappointed and fully
expected to find that they were medals that had been presented
to S. S. Crosby's grandfather Reverend Sylvester Sage, or perhaps even
his father the Reverend Dr. Jaazaniah Crosby.

We had to drive some 30 miles to reach his home in order to view the
medals. By the time we reached the house I felt as though I was
walking a tightrope. The excitement was almost unbearable. When the
three specimens were handed to me I couldn't believe my eyes! Each
one was in a magnificent state of preservation.

The first one was a coin — an 1860 New Orleans mint mark silver
dollar, in almost mint condition, and hand engraved on the reverse
directly above the Eagle:

James Allen Crosby July 28, 1864

Obviously a "birthmedal" as me date is that given in the Pierpont
Genealogy as the birthdate of James Allen Crosby.

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 994

But the other two items were not coins, but medals, in supurb
condition. One was copper, the other silver. The copper was toned a
rich mahogany color, and on the silver medal the toning exhibited
every color of the rainbow. Both were member's medals of the American
Numismatic and Archaeological Society. In my hand I was holding
S. S. Crosby's personal presentation medals from the society!

The copper medal was hand engraved:

Sylvester Sage Crosby
Corresponding Member
22nd 1869

And the silver medal:

Sylvester Sage Crosby
Honorary Member
Mch . 21st 1876

As I looked with wonder at these three amazing numismatic mementos I
recalled Captain John Hazeltine's quote from his sale catalog of the
Crosby collection:

"Be careful of the unique pieces ye collector,
for you will be held to strict accountability
by the numismatists of the world should you
carelessly suffer them to be lost."

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 995

I purchased the three items from the gentleman at an overly generous
price and we parted company that day in good spirits! He told me
afterward that he had paid a handsome price for the entire box of
treasures and did not know what price to assign to the medals until
the other items were disposed of; it had taken him about four months
to sell the other items in the lot.

I shall be eternally grateful that these medals were not permanently
lost, and I can most assuredly state how grateful I am knowing that
they survived and are once again available for the world to see. On
the other hand I shall always wonder how much of Crosby's personal
numismatic materials, notebooks S correspondence and the like, have
been lost. And then again, perhaps the search is not yet over —

Editor's comment

Hopefully this discussion of the discoveries and circumstances that
led Bob Wester into the details of the history of Sylvester Sage
Crosby's family will also lead others to recognize and produce some of
the other Crosby artifacts and related items that may still exist in
the Massachusetts /New Hampshire area today. A considerable quantity
of additional photographs of Crosby's relatives and related items,
autographs and the like, have been uncovered by Bob Wester and it may
be possible to present some of these in a future issue; a considerable
amount of photographic work will be necessary to make many of them
suitable for publication.

In a recent followup telephone discussion with Bob, ye Editor inquired
as to the original source of the Crosby medallions. The answer, it
turns out, is that they too came from Mrs. McGlenen via Roberta Carr's
bookshop in Concord. In the final cleanup and cleanout of Mrs.
McClenen's home there had accumulated in the process a considerable
quantity of small antique trinkets and miscellaneous items believed to
have no connection with the Crosby artifacts. These were turned over
to Roberta Carr who in turn sold the entire lot, a "large shoebox
full", to a noted Bedford, New Hampshire antique dealer and historian,
Mr. Hank Ford, who brought the medals to Bob's attention.

Our special thanks to Michael J. Hodder for his cooperation with Bob Wester
and in making available the facilities of Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc.
to produce the photographs of the Crosby medallions.

JCS

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 996

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Both ye Editor and Bob Wester are indebted to Alice Irene Whitney
McGlenen (Mrs. Edward Webster McGlenen) of Concord, New Hampshire
her gracious cooperation in making available to Bob Wester the
remaining effects from the estate of Sylvester Sage Crosby. That these
items have remained relatively intact during the 72 years since his
death is remarkable and indicative of the treasures remaining to be
discovered in the attics of America, if only someone can recognize
their significance.

We asked Mrs. McGlenen to provide a summary of her recollections of
family history from the days of Sylvester S. Crosby, and she kindly
provided the following observations:

The Reverend Jaazaniah Crosby performed a marriage service
in Charleston, New Hampshire, for his son James and
Mary Lord Plerpont who was the grand daughter of the
Reverend John Plerpont. Their children were James Alien Crosby
and Mary Louise Plerpont Crosby.

Mary L. Plerpont Crosby married Edward Webster McGlenen in
Boston. Their son, Edward Webster McGlenen, Jr., married me,
Alice Irene Whitney. We had met in the Unitarian Church in
Dorchester and were married there. My husband became
a Unitarian minister and served churches in Brewster,

Westborough, Warwick and Ware, all in Massachusetts.

Mary Plerpont McGlenen (and James Allen Crosby, Jr.,
inherited many of the possessions of her Uncle,

Sylvester Sage Crosby, and passed them on to my husband and me.

Among the books was a first edition of Sylvester Crosby's
"Early Coins of America." The books and family memorabilia
were moved a number of times as i changed my residence. When
I sold many of my books some years after my husband died,
to Mrs. Roberta Carr, I did not recognize the (historical)
value of Sylvester Crosby's book. Mrs. Carr was acquainted
with Mr. Robert Wester and his interest in coins, and sold
him the book. He wanted to know where Mrs. Carr had found
the book and he and I became acquainted.

Thus was started an interesting and valuable friendship for
both. We have conferred many times (so as) to keep me
informed of the progress of his research which has been
quite exhaustive. Later i found i had an original folio
copy of "Early Coins" which is now in the possession of
Robert Wester along with many items of the Crosby family.

Being involved indirectly in preserving information about
Sylvester Crosby and the Crosby family has been a great joy
to me and i am very happy to see it published in
The Colonial Newsletter by Mr. Spilman."

signed: Alice Irene McGlenen

August 18, 1986

□ □□

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 997

CILFOIL'S COPPERS

from Cary A. Trudgen; Endwell, New York (TN-111)

Historians have recorded a private coining episode that occurred in
Colonial America that has apparently been overlooked by numismatists.
This incident took place at Fort Crown Point in the Colony of New York
during the peaceful interlude (1764-1774) between the French 6 Indian
War and the American Revolution.

Fort Crown Point was strategically located on a large peninsula on the
west side of Lake Champlain such that it commanded the narrow passage
to the southern portion of the lake. British general Jeffery Amherst
ordered the construction of the fort in 1759 after the French blew up
Fort St. Frederic and retreated from the valley. The fort was never
completed although work continued on it until the end of the French &
Indian War in 1763. Even though unfinished. Fort Crown Point was the
largest colonial fortress to be built on this continent. It enclosed
a six-and-a-half acre parade ground.

Sketch Indicating Location of Fort Crown Point
on West Shore of Lake Champlain

This hugh British fortress brought a sense of security to the area.
Numbers of English officers at Crown Point retired and settled in the
surrounding countryside. Soon a village was established outside the
west walls of the fort. The village consisted of approximately two

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 998

dozen clustered houses plus a scattering of other dwellings around the
area. At the height of the British occupation there were a total of
83 houses at Crown Point. In 1769, New York colonial administrators
took steps to establish a local town government for this community
about the fort.

«* /' HU , «.,,m

Detail Map of Fort Crown Point
Source: Public Record Office - London, England

On April 21, 1773 Fort Crown Point, neglected and in disrepair,
suffered a major catastrophe. Mrs. Ross, while cooking some pork and
beans, set fire to a sooted chimney in the fort. The fire spread to
the barracks roof, and then to the tarred pine log walls of the fort.
The earth fill spilled out as the walls burned. The people fled in
terror as the fire approached the magazine which contained 100 barrels
of gunpowder. A violent explosion and fire totally destroyed the
great fort, leaving Crown Point defenseless.

A military court of inquiry was held in 1774 regarding the fire and
resultant destruction of Fort Crown Point. Minutes of the proceedings
of this court are preserved in the Public Record Office in London.
Contained in these minutes, William Gilfoil, blacksmith and private in
the 26th Regiment of the British Army, is accused of making coppers
that were accepted in the local British Crown Point community as legal
tender. Excerpts from these minutes concerning Gilfoil's coining
activity follow. The questions were asked by Lieutenant Jocelyn
Feltham of the 26th Regiment. The first person to be cross-examined

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 999

concerning Ciifoii's coining activities was Captain William Friend,
Commander of his Majesty's Sioop on Lake Champlain.

■S^.ESTiON "Have you not heard or have not you seen. Coppers made to

pass current for Half pence at Crown Point which were said to be made
by Ciifoii the Smith?"

ANSWER "i never saw any of the Coppers, nor ever saw him make
any, but it was the common Report that Ciifoii had made some out of
Copper Hoops."

The next questions were put to Findley Miller, Surgeon's Mate of the
26th Regiment.

QUESTION "Did you ever know any Copper Half pence to have been
made by Ciifoii the Smith out of Copper Hoops and pass current at
Crown Point, in any Quantity?"

ANSWER "There were many Coppers current at Crown Point, beat out
to the size of a Half penny which were said to be made by Ciifoii, and
i once got Fourteen of them in Exchange for a Shilling."

QUESTiON "Do you know of any person having received a iarger
Quantity from Ciifoii himseif?" a

ANSWER "There was a French-woman who went by the name of Mrs.
Daiton who said she had received several Dollars worth of them, but
not from Ciifoii in particular; They usually went by the name of
Ciifoii's Coppers.

QUESTiON "Did you ever hear that Ciifoii was assisted by any
Person in making those Coppers?"

ANSWER "I have been told, but I don't recollect by whom, that he
was instructed in making them by a Deserter from the 52nd Regiment."

The final question concerning Giifoii's coppers was asked of Joseph
Russel, Armorer at Crown Point.

QUESTION "Did you ever see or hear of Ciifoii the Smith working
up any of His Majesty's Stores of Iron or Copper, Into any Shape or
Fashion, so as to be of service to himself?"

ANSWER "i never saw him make anything, but I have heard that he
has made several Coppers, or Half pence."

From the preceding testimony we establish that Ciifoii's coppers were
the size of halfpence and were accepted as such. They passed at the
rate of 14 per shilling, which is the same rate as other coppers of
that day. Also, it is stated that Ciifoii's coppers were "beat out",
which seems to imply that they were simple copper disks without
stamped impressions. To date, archaeological exploration at Crown

July 1987

THE COLONIAL NEWSLETTER Sequential page 1000

Point has not uncovered anything that might be considered to be one of
Gilfoil's Coppers. So ends the alleged story of William Gilfoil and
his copper coinage.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Mr. Gregory T. Furness, Historic
Site Manager at Crown Point, for supplying me with most of the
material on which this article Is based. The hand drawn detail map of
the Fort is in the Public Record Office in London and a copy was
provided by the Library of the Crown Point Historic Site, Crown Point,
New York. A note along the lower margin of the map states "This Plan
of Crown Point is not done from an actual survey, but from Memory; and
is intended only to elucidate some Parts of the Proceedings of the
Court of Inquiry."

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

After considerable contemplation of the criptic comments contained In
the testimony before the Board of inquiry, ye Editor would like to add
some of his perceptions that have evolved from this rather brief
transcript.

The word coppers is used almost exclusively throughout the testimony.
This implies to ye Editor that these items were recognized as coins,
specifically regal halfpence, and not simpiy blank disks of copper
metal. Further, the Armorer Is questioned about the use of iron from
His Majesty's Stores, as well as copper, which could Imply Giifoii's
fashioning tools, dies, or other coinage devices from the available
supplies at the Fort. And, finally, the observation that the Smith
was "Instructed In making them" by a deserter from another regiment I
believe Is important because a blacksmith of that era was generally an
exceptional worker of rough Iron objects and Implements but would not
usually possess the skills necessary to engrave or sink die blanks.

All of this information, even though sketchy, when taken together
seems to Imply that Gilfoil's Coppers were actually coins in similtude
of regal halfpence produced as a hammered coinage ("beat out") rather
than being struck In a mechanical press. If these "coppers" were only
blank disks It would hardly require the instruction of someone else
for their manufacture.

Perhaps other information is available from one of our Patrons that
might throw additional light on Gary Trudgen's newly discovered Early
American Mintslte at Fort Crown Point, New York.